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BBC Radio 4


What do you really know about the menstrual cycle? In this award-winning podcast India Rakusen explores the whole bloody story, discovering facts that could change your life. Periods are just the beginning.


28ish Days Later

India Rakusen journeys into the womb with Dr Dornu Lebari and Dr Jackie Maybin. We peel back the layers and meet the fallopian tubes, ovaries, cervix and the endometrium. 

India is also joined by Dr Elinor Cleghorn to discuss the ancient theories of wandering wombs, evil uteruses and the myths that surround the womb in history.

Credits: 
Presented by India Rakusen. 
Assistant Producer: Jorja McAndrew.
Producer: Ellie Sans.
Executive Producer: Suzy Grant. 
Original music composed and performed by Rebekah Reid. 
Sound Design by Olga Reed. 

Special thanks to all contributors and audio diarists. 

A Listen production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Day One: Power

On day two of the period, India Rakusen carries us through the bleeding part of the period from the hormones, to the reason we bleed and the stigma surrounding it with Dr Jackie Maybin. India also meets a retired police officer who's life and health was directly impacted from living with heavy bleeding. 

Dr Ruth Armula joins to discuss fibroids.

Credits: 
Presented by India Rakusen. 
Producer: Ellie Sans.
Assistant Producer: Jorja McAndrew. 
Executive Producer: Suzy Grant. 
Original music composed and performed by Rebekah Reid. 
Sound design by Olga Reed. 

Special thanks to all contributors and audio diarists. 

A Listen production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

Day Two: The Flood

This episode of 28ish Days Later is about period pain and endometriosis. India also discusses period poo’s and prostaglandins with Dr Katy Vincent. 

India also meets Phoebe who lives with endometriosis and Dr Andrew Horne who researches the condition. They discuss the impact and symptoms of endometriosis, and the medical data bias that causes long diagnosis times.

Credits: 
Presented by India Rakusen. 
Producer: Ellie Sans.
Assistant Producer: Jorja McAndrew.
Executive Producer: Suzy Grant. 
Original music composed and performed by Rebekah Reid. 
Sound design by Olga Reed. 

Special thanks to all contributors and audio diarists. 

A Listen Production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Day Three: Pain And Prejudice

India and the author of Period Power, Maisie Hill, discuss the best way to manage and interact with your cycle. Specifically looking at the bleed, or rather the season ‘winter’, Maisie offers advice, tips and tricks on how to unlock the superpowers of your cycle. As well as how best to avoid the dangers that lurk in the experience of winter. 

Credits: 
Presented by India Rakusen. 
Producer: Jorja McAndrew.
Series Producer: Ellie Sans.
Executive Producer: Suzy Grant. 
Original music composed and performed by Rebekah Reid. 
Sound design by Charlie Brandon-King. 

Special thanks to all contributors and audio diarists. 

A Listen production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Day Four: Winter

Ever heard of bears eating people who were on their period? Maybe sharks eating menstruating swimmers? These sort of myths are everywhere. India is joined by Caroline Byrd who’s job was lost due to a myth of blood and bears. Dr. Elinor Cleghorn takes us all the way back to the mediaeval ages to root out the beginning of these myths and Dr Anita Mitra gives the low down on the textures and appearance of period blood. 

Credits: 
Presented by: India Rakusen. 
Producer: Ellie Sans.
Assistant Producer: Jorja McAndrew.
Executive Producer: Suzy Grant. 
Original music composed and performed by Rebekah Reid. 
Sound design by Olga Reed. 

Special thanks to all contributors and audio diarists. 

A Listen production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Day Five: Blood and Bears

Joined by Alec Mills, Chella Quint and Dr Camilla Rotsvik, India investigates the impact of images on the way women feel about their periods. From menstrual shame to scented tampons, India assesses the images that have appeared across 100 years of period product advertising shaping menstrual taboo. India also considers the adverts and artists pushing the boundaries and revolutionsing menstrual images.

Credits: 
Presented by: India Rakusen. 
Producer: Jorja McAndrew.
Series Producer: Ellie Sans.
Executive Producer: Suzy Grant. 
Original music composed and performed by Rebekah Reid. 
Sound design by Charlie Brandon-King. 

Special thanks to all contributors and audio diarists. 

A Listen production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Day Six: The Stories We're Told

India introduces the series to oestrogen, the hormone of sass, sex and energy. Dr Jackie Maybin explains the role of oestrogen in preparing the body for ovulation and Dr. Sarah Hill explains her research on the effect of oestrogen on the brain. Maisie Hill also pops in with some tips for Spring. 

Credits: 
Presented by: India Rakusen. 
Producer: Ellie Sans. 
Assistant Producer:Jorja McAndrew.
Executive Producer: Suzy Grant. 
Original music composed and performed by Rebekah Reid. 
Sound design by Olga Reed. 

Special thanks to all contributors and audio diarists. 

A Listen production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Day Seven: Oestrogen Rising

For years the female body in athletic performance has gone understudied, until recently. 

India meets Richard Burden from the English Institute of Sport who is researching the effect of hormones on female performance whilst also building key technology in the field to do onsite hormone testing. India is also joined by GB pentathlon athlete Jess Varley who is part of this research and who has tailored her training around her menstrual cycle to reap extraordinary results. 

Credits: 
Presented by India Rakusen. 
Producer: Jorja McAndrew. 
Series Producer: Ellie Sans.
Executive Producer: Suzy Grant. 
Original music composed and performed by Rebekah Reid. 
Sound design by Charlie Brandon-King. 

Special thanks to all contributors and audio diarists. 

A Listen production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Day Eight: Hack it to Win it

This episode is all about the experiences across life that can shape how we view our cycle - particularly our first bleed. India is joined by author and creatrix Lisa Lister who tells a story of empowerment. 

Along the way India chats to a tropical island resident called Nirai and a refugee named Marie who is struggling with period poverty. 

Credits: 
Presented by India Rakusen. 
Producer: Ellie Sans.
Assistant Producer:Jorja McAndrew.
Executive Producer: Suzy Grant. 
Original music composed and performed by Rebekah Reid. 
Sound design by Olga Reed. 

Special thanks to all contributors and audio diarists. 

A Listen production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Day Nine: Finding Power

The world of tracking apps has grown in the last decade, but where does all that data go? India speaks to the Chief Medical Officer of Clue, Dr Lynae Brayboy about the importance of tracking periods, and the link between tracking apps and research. 

Later, India is joined by Eva Blum-Dumontet, a Senior Policy Advisor on Artificial Intelligence at Royal Society who formerly carried out key research into data and tracking apps. Eva offers a word of warning over the type of data these apps ask for. 

Credits: 
Presented by India Rakusen. 
Producer: Ellie Sans.
Assistant Producer:Jorja McAndrew.
Executive Producer: Suzy Grant. 
Original music composed and performed by Rebekah Reid. 
Sound design by Olga Reed. 

Special thanks to all contributors and audio diarists. 

A Listen production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Day Ten: Tracking

The perimenopause is a challenging time for many women but there is help and there are ways you can prepare. 

In this episode, India sits down with her mum to discuss her own transition to menopause. And we hear from Dr Marion Gluck and Dr Radhika Vohra to discuss the history and role of HRT in treating perimenopausal symptoms. 

Credits: 
Presented by India Rakusen. 
Producer: Ellie Sans.
Assistant Producer: Jorja McAndrew. 
Executive Producer: Suzy Grant. 
Original music composed and performed by Rebekah Reid. 
Sound Design by Charlie Brandon-King. 

Special thanks to all contributors and audio diarists. 

A Listen production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Day Eighteen: Second Spring

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